Forest Est Veritas

Oxford, the city of dreaming spires. 
Have to be here to actually experience the magic.

Arrived early this week, what a place!

St. Margaret's street. Staying here until my long term accommodation gets ready for moving-in.

Market square. That's HSBC bank next to the clocktower. Double-decker buses everywhere, and I've heard some nasty stories about the drivers not giving a bugger about pedestrians or bikers! Met a friend yesterday who got hit by a bus, a tough guy -- bus window broke, but his head had only a little bump!

Braving these stories, I'm still on the roads, on bike!!

Church near woodstock road, early misty-morning

Green templeton college, observatory building.

The famous Eagle and Child pub

Randolph hotel. The city itself is not that big, I like that aspect too.
And if tired of city-life, countryside is not that far away!

I biked for 30mins to reach Oxford meadows. Late in the night, glowing in full-moon, the meadows looked very mysterious (Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew readers will probably enjoy this "mysterious"!), and maybe a little spooky.

Old old buildings, elaborate architecture!

Museum

The bridge of sighs. Hertford College.

City with such long tradition is bound to have it's own resident ghosts. This one couldn't escape the lens..

Radcliffe camera building. Having seen so many pics of this, was great to be able to take some myself!

Here is how some of the lanes in the city look like. Colleges are very protective of their campuses (as is evident from the high walls). Legacy from olden days where the rivalry was to the extent of violence! We still cannot just walk into other colleges we do not belong to, unless it is a open day, or have formal (registered) invite from any of residents!

Still can't have enough of the architecture, of the city!

And when I talk with older students -- who are here, in some cases, more than three years -- they still can't seem to get enough either! I envy the great minds who have settled here.

One bothersome part is the downpour, and a very moody one at that!

Overall, just the place to spend a year in mid-career -- reflect and train. Equip with the wherewithal necessary for the next round.